A £1BN PLAN to transform the face of health care in our region is to be unveiled today.

The sweeping proposals include the possible demolition and replacement of both Alder Hey Children's Hospital and the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

Broadgreen and Aintree Hospitals will also benefit from major refurbishments if plans being mapped out by a consortium of all four hospitals is approved by the Government.

The group, the North Merseyside Future Healthcare Project, is to outline its detailed proposals to the boards of the hospital and primary care trusts this week, and the finalised proposals should be forwarded to the Department of Health by April 23. If the Government approves, work could begin within a year.

A new Alder Hey could be built on a brownfield site elsewhere in Liverpool, or it could be constructed on open space alongside the existing buildings.

As the Daily Post first revealed last year, the Royal Liverpool Hospital could also be completely rebuilt elsewhere. The alternative would be to develop a smaller hospital on part of the existing site while the rest of the complex is redeveloped.

Acting director of the North Mersey Future Healthcare Project Kate Abendstern said: "These proposals represent a very significant investment in the development and delivery of more effective, patient-centred healthcare services for our communities in North Merseyside. "